You’re probably going to organize an event. It could be a conference, social meetup, special yoga classes, or a training session. And you’re either handing out invitation cards or simply passing out flyers to your guests.

While print invites are definitely elegant and personal. But they offer many challenges. For example:

1. They don’t help guests RSVP easily. You can only print your phone number or email to get responses. And hence, your guests need to respond via snail-mail or phone calls. And to do either of them, they need to put both time and effort. As a result, many of them simply skip doing it

2. The limited printing space doesn’t give you the option to add as many details as you want. It could be the event information, list of speakers, and event itinerary

3. To know the exact location of the venue, people often refer to the map printed on invitations. And this is not an easy job

In fact, the guests who don’t really know where the location is or how far it is from their place, often skip attending the event.

4. Printed invitations don’t give guests the option to add the event to their calendars. Now, most of your guests would definitely want to make it to your event. But due to busy schedules, many of them might forget about it as the date approaches

But do these challenges mean you shouldn’t go for printed invitations? No. Paper-based invitations are tangible and look personal. All that you need to do is— look for an element that overcomes all these challenges.

And a QR Code is just what you need here. Now, since this QR Code goes on event invitations, let’s call it—an Event QR Code.

A. What is an Event QR Code

An Event QR Code, when scanned via smartphone, takes the end-users to a mobile-optimized landing page with all the event details. For example—event title, banner images, description, and image gallery.

These QR Codes are, in fact, editable. Here’s what it means—say you created an Event QR Code and a few days later, you changed the event venue. You can update this information in the existing QR Code without having to create a new one.

This is because an Event QR Code is dynamic in nature. It is unlike a static QR Code which, once created, cannot be edited. To do that, you have to create a new QR Code and reprint it on your print media creatives.

A Dynamic QR Code can be edited anytime you want. Its content gets updated while the pattern remains the same. Hence no need to either recreate or reprint it.

B. How Event QR Code can be useful

Wondering—how will that be useful for me or for my guests? Keep reading to know.

1. To share multimedia content with your guests

Say you want to share a video or multiple images with your guests. Can you print it on the invitations?

Usually, the limited printing space doesn’t let you add multimedia content. While you can still manage to add one or two images, you cannot add a video to the invitations, right?

This is where an Event QR Code on the invitation cards comes handy.

2. To share exact maps location of the venue

This is a chief advantage of adding a QR Code to your invitations. It helps you share the exact Google maps location of the venue without designing or printing the map on invitations.

Hence, your guests don’t need to do any complex interpretations of the map. They can get directions to the venue in real time.

3. To get your guests to add the event to their calendar

Event QR Code, when scanned, gives your guests the option to add the event to their calendar. That means they will get a reminder about the event as the event date approaches.

Also, in case you’re a professional event organizer, you’d need as many people as possible to come to the event. And to make it happen, you’ll have to get them to register for it.

To do that, many event professionals use smart event registration tools. Such tools help you design a mobile landing page where you can add all the event-related details for potential attendees to see along with a registration form.

Interested guests can then register for it and make payment (in case the event is paid). And the best thing is, the tool automatically generates secured guest passes against them. Isn’t that great?

4. Provide an in-depth event description

Again, the limited printing space makes it almost impractical to share detailed event description. But a QR Code helps you add as much content as you want. And besides text-based content, you can even add and multimedia. For example— a list of speakers, about the event, and about your organization.

For example, NASA, one of the most esteemed organizations in aeronautics and space research, uses QR Codes to give details about its events. Upon scanning via smartphones, users can get event information in detail.

Apart from this, QR Codes have various other use cases in the field of space. To know more about it, you can check out this guide.

5. To help your guests RSVP via email

With a QR Code, your guests can easily respond if they’ll attend the event or not. For each response, you’ll get an email notification. So they’ll not need to respond via snail mail. And you know—the easier a process is, the better its response rate.

These responses can then help you plan the arrangements (such as the number of seats and refreshments) accordingly.

Oh, while we’re at it, if yours is a public event, the guests will RSVP only if they find the event interesting. And to make that happen, amazing event management skills are paramount. To help you stay updated on what’s hot in the events industry, you can join the EventTube community. They regularly post fresh content for event managers to get better at their job.

6. To make your guests share the event on social media

If you want as many people as possible to attend the event, make your guests share it on social media. It will not only help you increase the number of guests but also create a buzz about the event.

An Event QR Code gives you the option to add social sharing buttons. This helps guests share event to their social media profiles.

B. How to create an Event QR Code

1. Find a QR Code generator

First, you need to find a Best QR Code Generator that offers an Event QR Code. And say, a quick Google search gives you a couple of options.

How do you then decide the best one for your use case? By comparing them, right? Here is a detailed comparison chart of the top QR Code generators available online. You can go through it to decide the best one for your use case.

2. Create a QR Code

Using Scanova for demo purpose, here’s how you can create an Event QR Code:

1. Go to Scanova and sign up for 14-day free trial 

2. From QR Code categories, select Event QR Code

QR Code categories

3. Start customizing the landing page by adding background color, title, and banner images to it (up to three)

Enter Event QR Code details

4. Next, specify the event details such as date, time, and venue of the event. Also, enter the venue location in the dialogue box over the map. Then, pinpoint the exact location on the map by selecting the Show Venue Location On Maps option

Event Venue and maps location in QR Code

5. Next, you can add the event description in the Description Box. It could be anything such as details about the event

Event Description Box

6. Next, you will see the option Button. You can use this button to redirect guests to your website, to watch a video, or even view an image gallery

Button option in Event QR Code

7. You’ll also option RSVP. Here, specify the email address where you want to receive responses. Here you can also specify how many additional guests are allowed and any additional question that you’d like to ask

RSVP option

8. Further, you’ll see the Social sharing buttons option. Use it in case you’d like the guests to share the event on their social media profiles

9. Once you’ve added all the event details, click Continue

10. Now name the QR Code and click Create QR Code

11. On the page that loads, you’ll see the preview of the QR Code along with the Edit Design option

My Event QR Code

12. If you click on it, you’ll see two QR Code designs—Custom Logo and Custom Background Design. The custom logo design allows you to add a logo and color to your QR Code. On the other hand, custom cackground helps you place a QR Code on any image

Choose the design

13. Once decided on the design or no design, click Download

14. Now you’ll be asked to specify the QR Code image’s format and dimensions. Once you specify the details, click Export

That’s it. Your Event QR Code will be downloaded and ready for use.

C. How to edit the QR Code content

To edit it, follow the steps mentioned below:

1. Login to your Scanova account

2. From the dashboard, go to My QR Codes

My QR Codes

3. Go to the QR Code you wish to make changes to and click on View/Edit

4. On the page that loads, head on to the content section and click View/Edit

5.Make the required changes

6. Once you’re done, click Apply

That’s it. Your QR Code will be updated.

F. Best Practices

Here are some of the best practices that you must follow for an Event QR Code:

1. Add an appropriate CTA

CTA translates to ‘Call-to-action’. It is a small instruction statement that tells the users what they need to do. And a small nudge like this pushes them to take the required action.

So remember to add an appropriate CTA with your QR Code. It could be anything such as ‘Scan here to see the event details’ or ‘Scan here to RSVP’.

2. Add design to the QR Codes

A custom-designed QR Code will serve two purposes. First, it will blend well with your invitation card. Second, it will grab the recipient’s attention and nudge them to scan it. And that’s exactly what you need, right?

3. Choose optimal printing format

It’s recommended to download the QR Code in vector formats such as SVG, EPS, and PDF if you’re planning to use them in print. These ensure that the QR Code doesn’t get pixelated even when it’s zoomed-in or zoomed-out.

You now know what an Event QR Code is, how it works, and how to create one. It makes your cards actionable, thereby, helping the guests take action. And also assists you in getting RSVPs and sharing as much information as you want to.

In addition, it even makes your invitations look hi-tech (which is quite-a-thing for tech lovers). So just create the QR Code with all the details that you want, design it, and print it on the invitations.

Still have any queries? Let us know in the comments.

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